Various problems remain with respect to the preparation of a resin-based nanocomposite material. For example, problems may include relatively high polymerization shrinkage, relatively low filler loadings, relatively low wear resistance, relatively low fracture toughness, and relatively poor tensile properties. For inorganic, equiaxed, silica-based fillers, a very high loading (>60% v/v) may be used in order to achieve improve compressive strength. However, such loading will typically compromise tensile loads.
High-aspect-ratio fillers, such as microscopic whiskers or plate-like clay nanoparticles, may increase the composite elastic modulus and support relatively higher tensile loads. Unfortunately, these fillers have poor packing efficiencies under conventional mixing and casting procedures. Therefore, a method is needed for depositing nanostructures comprising, e.g., inorganic fillers within an organic matrix in a relatively organized manner. Furthermore, it would be desirable to co-deposit such nanostructures within an organic matrix material such that a secondary infiltration processes for filling the remaining interstitial spaces is reduced or avoided.